Natalia Schwien Scott (she/they) is an herbalist, wildlife rescue & rehabilitation apprentice, and a Ph.D. Student in the Study of Religion at Harvard University.
I research relational ontologies, posthuman ethics, and diction on personhood in scientific discourse, specifically neuroscience. My secondary degree is in Celtic Languages & Literatures where I explore trans-species soul migration and the role of plants in Old Irish mythology and Scottish Gaelic folklore.
In addition to my doctoral work, I hold three research and administrative roles at Harvard. I serve as the Associate Director for Harvard Divinity School's Program for the Evolution of Spirituality under Dr. Dan McKanan. The aim of the program is to support the scholarly study of emerging spiritual movements, marginalized spiritualities, and the innovative edges of established religious traditions. I lead "Interspecies Dialogues: A Conversation Group Exploring Animism, Post-humanism, and Entangled Roots of Interrelation" which regularly features a variety of scholars, writers, scientists, filmmakers, and animacy practitioners. Finally, I co-launched with Rachael Petersen the “Thinking with Plants and Fungi Initiative” at the Center for the Study of World Religions in fall of 2022. I now serve as an Advisor and Program Associate for the Initiative as well as lead the program’s Reading Group.
I formerly held the position of Sustainability Specialist at Middlebury College's Franklin Environmental Center at Hillcrest in Vermont. In spring 2019, I completed my Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation coursework and exam in Connecticut, before apprenticing in Vermont and Massachusetts. I have volunteered with wildlife rehabbers in both states including Wild on Blissville and ParkHill Wildlife Rehab in VT and Newhouse Wildlife Rescue in Chelmsford, MA. As a practicing herbalist, I have over 20 years of experience, including three years apprenticing with Vanessa Chakour.
I hold a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School with a focus on the intersection of ecology and spiritual practice as well as a Master of Arts degree from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. My research at Middlebury focused on fantasy literature and sci-fi, specifically on how authors designate personhood in their worldbuilding.
Before transitioning into environmental spheres, I was a member of the inaugural artistic team for Brooklyn's National Sawdust and the founding Director for its in-home recording label, FKA Via Records. During my time with National Sawdust/VisionIntoArt, I produced performances at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MASS MoCA, the Park Avenue Armory, Miami Art Basel, Pioneer Works, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and more. I graduated with a BFA in Film from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 2013. My work has been featured in New York Magazine, The New Yorker, Time Out New York, Vice, For The Wild, and more. I sometimes release music under the moniker Ellayo.